Planning ahead

I've spent today and yesterday updating calendars and setting up lessons for next year already. Registration opened for dance class, sign up for piano came through email, Soccer deadline was approaching. So I put school and storytime on my calendar and then signed up Nora for soccer and Emily & Nora for dance. Emily's soccer and dance are both scheduled for the same night again this year. I had originally told her that we couldn't do what we went through last year (leaving dance early to get to soccer late, changing on the way, eating dinner at the field).. but.... they changed her dance class time from 5 to 4:30... which means it would still be a crazy night but would allow 20 minutes between each. So I told her she could do it - she has said no but told her she has a week to make a final decision. Truth be told - I really enjoyed watching her out there on the field and she was getting really good. So we'll see what she decides...

Today and yesterday we had more playdates. The girls were here today and they played so good - so much fun! I spent some of the time they were here getting the guest room straightened up - it's been picture central for so long that I have to get all my stuff squared away before leaving next week.

After this weekend (I have my annual Stampin' Up! open house), my focus will shift to packing.. and then we'll be Florida bound... can't wait!!

Living Up to Our Name

Boy did we live up to our name today - "chaos, calm and everything in between".... today we definitely had a little bit of everything.

Everyone slept in - except for me and the pets (well, and Morgan who had to get up to Springdale before the kids got there)... no matter how hard I tried to keep laying back down, one of the animals wanted something. But nevertheless, the slower paced morning was nice.

We then headed to the library - the girls really look forward to going in the summer because of the reading program. Nora gets a free book of her choosing for turning in her listening log and Emily is raking it in for her reading logs. She turned in 4 more today - earning her some baseball tickets, a backpack, a LeapFrog Crammer, and a free book.(More about the Crammer in a moment). Storytime was about pirates today so lots of good fun and music to go with it. Our library is the best!

We left there to pick up today's lunch and then to drop Nora off for a playdate. She was so excited to be going to Heidi's house - her friend from dance class. After getting her off, we just made it to the school with lunch for it to start raining. It was so nice to get some rain though - we really need it!

After a yummy lunch of Penguin Ed's - we came back home, put Rose in for her nap and Emily hit her books from the library - she was finishing one up and is really looking forward to reading the 3rd Kingdom Keepers book which we had put a request on. We then had some fun - playing Uno, she wrote in her 4th grade journal (summer homework) and I taught her how to french braid.

Then off to piano (last lesson for the summer)... while there, Rose checked our Emily's Crammer.

Then we got Nora and came home. Emily couldn't wait to practice her new skill - so they set up beauty parlor in the kitchen and away she went.
Here's the first taste of chaos - just having them all going crazy.. the joys of laughter soon turned to cries as Rose (having too much fun on the couch with Emily) fell off backwards...
Then Morgan came home - the garage door is broken (came off it's track some how)... so I was trying to help him figure things out and Gabby and Nora were competing for the best view from the inside garage door. The first gruff we heard from Gabby, I warned Nora to leave her alone (she was trying to catch her tail).. but the next one... well, Gabby took it into her own paws to tell Nora to stop. She caught her on her cheek and I think Nora finally figured she should stop. So we stopped with the garage door - bandaged Nora up and put her to bed.

Onto Emily's Crammer - still can't believe they gave this as a prize. She loves it... we hooked it up to the computer tonight to download quizzes and flash cards for all sorts of subjects. They are all grade based so I did all the 3rd and 4th grade stuff... and then you can download music. So she can sit there going through her math facts while listening to her favorite songs.. so neat! She was showing Morgan how to use it before heading to bed...

Full day

What a full day we had - fun day, but definitely full! It started this morning (thankfully not too early) with Meg coming over to watch the girls. This is my last Monday with her this summer (she'll be away, we'll be away then Morgan's parents will be here, the school starts) ... the girls love hanging out with her. I love it! As Nora told me tonight at bedtime (she was describing how Meg reads to her at night time), "she's my special guest"... she loves having her here!

Once I got back from the store, unloaded groceries, then out we went to bring Morgan's crew their lunch from Olive Garden.. it's fun - we get a yummy lunch, the teachers ooh and ahh over the girls, Nora makes friends, so it's all good. :o)

Back home for Rose's nap and Nora's playdate next door. She was so excited... she was there for almost 4 hours! So while she was there... Emily and I had our own afternoon of fun.

She created things with Duck Tape... here's her purse, bracelet and ring - she also made a crown and bookmark.

Rose took a nice nap which was nice for a change...

We enjoyed a nice snack...

Then we had some touching up to do from our painting project... Nora was home by now, sharing all her stories of her own afternoon...

Making Plans

Today's plans went out the window - we didn't head to church as planned. Morgan had to work and my hand - well, let's just say I probably worked it a little too much this week! It started yesterday - when I got up my pinky and ring finger were really stiff and it took a lot to get them moving... well, today the same thing. So I knew I wouldn't be able to hold a wiggly almost 17 month old all through church - so we stayed home.

The girls played, Morgan worked (Kids Camp starts tomorrow), and I (with no major projects looming- scrapbook done, painting on hold) started fiddling. Looking at maps, checking on hotels, seeing stops along the way...


This is for our September trip (I'm ignoring our upcoming FL trip right now - don't get me wrong, I am so excited to see everyone - but after attempting dress shopping Friday night, I'm not so thrilled about my wardrobe for reunion.. but I still have time... a little bit of time!)... the girls and I sat while Rose napped and looked at images on google of places we'll be seeing, routes we'll be taking... can't wait! It will be a lot of fun!! What a way to celebrate 15 years!!!

It is finished...

Can you hear it?

The dramatic "Aaahhh", "Omhhhh" , heavenly sound, like in the movies?

It's announcing the fact that the pictures are finished! A lifetime of pictures now in 2 photo boxes, 2 albums (I was going to do 1 album but I think it would really be pushing it when I flip through it), a memory box and 2 baby books. The next step? To get the pages in an album - I have one but obviously need another and then go through and label everything. For that, I am going to do it on the computer and just stick it with the albums.

But what a journey! In going through the pictures, I've watched my grandparents grow up, my parents' own journey so far and onto me, my brothers, and even our family. Just so neat! It's opened doors to more family for me as they help me figure out who's who and translate messages scribed on the back of pictures. So the next time you're here - you can browse through them as well.

We also did a Father's Day Take 2 today - we got to take Morgan out for his Fathe'rs Day dinner since the girls were sick last weekend... so we can add more of our own memories to our own "journey" books...

End of Week

It's the end of the week.. the welcomed weekend of nothing to do tomorrow (except for our Father's day redo dinner out) but lounge around. But here are a few pictures from our day...

"Say Cheese Rose"... what a good listener! Don'tcha love the crossed legs?

Rest time for Emily - after a great week at camp and a little playtime, she actually took a nap! Yes, the child that never sleeps or says she doesn't want to sleep during the day - actually did it!

Then Nora - busy bee that she is... or as she put it (after yawning) "My mouth thinks it's bedtime. It's tired" Emily's response "then why don't you stop talking?".. Nora's response "it doesn't want to - it just wants to talk all the time!"

Joy of Ages

Ahh.. the joy of age differences... Nora just wanted to play... Rose, on the other hand, just wanted to destroy. Everything that Nora built, drank, held, picked up.. Rose wanted.. it got nasty at times... but Nora actually took it all pretty good... I just keeping telling myself - it can only get better, right?! :o)

Playtime

Today was an interesting day - the long days are wearing on Emily. She's so so tired.. but loving her week of camp days! Today they went ice skating and did crystal growing and something about making your own dog biscuits.

At the homestead, I continued my painting drive - foyer, little hallway, our bathroom and one wall of our bedroom done. Yay! I enlisted the help of our babysitter for today's tasks. She played with the girls for 2 1/2 hours while I painted. It was so nice to just have the time to get things done!

After lunch and nap (Rose actually took a "nap" - 1 whole hour!!!) I finished cleaning up the paint stuff and we just played. The girls did so good - what a difference a decent nap makes too!!

Emily got home around 5:30, ate and we got ready for tomorrow... she'll leaving in the morning around 7:45 and I won't see her until 12:30 on Friday... full days of swimming, kayaking, canoeing, rock wall, camping out...

Musical Blog

A little musical blog tonight... Morgan and I were watching some videos done here locally last night. I was planning on sharing them with you anyway but then the girls had a dancing afternoon so it all tied together.

First off, Morgan sent this to me... this is from the school where they have the Kids Camp for his GK-12 program. (No they don't do it at the Alumni House anymore)...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhSwwF73VF0
Then after watching that I showed his a video done by the high school here that I had seen on the news. I never got the chance to watch the whole thing before.. really neat - wouldn't it be fun to be there? The news had said that they did the entire video in one take.. with no editing.. pretty cool:
http://youtu.be/0KfLO-Jntds

Now for our own little dancers... this is the first one...so cute how Rose is trying to copy Nora:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8KJYAeefE0
Then this one.. you have to watch Rose towards the end - she keeps trying to do an arabesque like Nora:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1q8CDRFSUE
And lastly, Nora on her own... the little pose at the end is so funny... you can tell she took dance lessons this year!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8at5J_RmO8w

A little update on Emily - she didn't catch a fish, but was so excited about trying even though she said putting the worm on the hook was gross. :o)

Day 1

The day started off early - the 1st day of Girl Scout day camp. Emily has been so excited about going - especially this year - she's considered an "older scout" now so she stays all day... but then it hit.. "I'm all alone in my group"... so after a little bit of a rough start moving her along.. I left her in the hands of her group leader.
Which lead to pick up time at 5pm... to find this smiling face! She was rambling on and on about all the fun things they did- including shooting a BB gun... she was so thrilled...
and very proud of her target sheet she got to bring home!
And tonight, I put off painting the foyer to teach her how to cast a line... we had to buy a fishing pole tonight... they are going fishing tomorrow. She can't wait...

Baling the Hay

This is what our afternoon turned into - watching them bale the hay in the cemetery field. It was neat and fun to watch but not what we intended... Rose (as you know) started off sick - well, feverish... but then when Rose woke up from her 30 minutes worth of a nap - if you can call it that! - Nora was saying that she keeps feeling cold. Uh-oh! So we checked her temperature.. 101 as well.. geez!! So we got snack... and Nora actually looked up at us and said "Mommy, I just want to lay down and sleep"... ok, so I got a blanket, she laid down on the couch and was out! She slept like that for about an hour.. waking up crying and terribly warm. So we obviously didn't make it out for a Father's Day dinner... and now just hoping that tomorrow everyone is fever free and good to go! But in the meantime - here are pictures of our highlight of the afternoon.. and we even got some video of course! :o)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xmspzv1hEeY
Emily and I did venture out to Walmart Marketplace to gather up supplies just in case we needed some things like Gatorade and the like.. just in case... let's hope we don't need it!

Father's Day Fun

We've had more of a Father's Day weekend rather than just Father's Day. It started yesterday morning. We headed out early for a breakfast of donuts on the run and then headed to the blueberry farm.
It got hot pretty quick but we loaded up on blueberries. I think more of Rose's ended up in her belly rather than in the bucket.
Each of the girls had their own bucket to fill and we had one as well.
But Morgan picked the biggest blueberry of all.. ha-ha!
We then moved onto the raspberry bushes...
Here's our stash we came home with: blueberries, red raspberries, home grown honey... yum!
We then headed to Home Depot - they were having a special project day for Father's Day - so while the girls made their toolboxes, I got the rest of the paint to finish up the house. Obviously Tigger's gonna help me paint...
Then we surprised Morgan a day early with one of his Father's Day gifts...
a tent...
Nora did her part in helping...
As did Rose while she ate the blueberries...
Then it was tent time...
As the sun was setting...
then tent went up...
And we got ready for a Father's Day camping trip... to our back yard!
a tent big enough for all of us... on air mattresses.. and even an "e port"
We watched the lightning bugs come out... (see it in the picture?... if you click on it to make it larger - it's in the middle a little to the left top corner)
Here are a couple videos of the lightning bugs as it got darker:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPjY-I5SxP8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okQqmVnit90
Then we all settled in ...watched the stars come out... and finally fell asleep around 10:30 or 11:00.. not sure ... but I do know Emily was the 1st one asleep - can you believe it?
I was the first one awake to go get Rose... but the others slept a little longer... to be awoken by the birds and the rising sun...
We came in for breakfast and gave Morgan the rest of his Father's Day gifts - the toolboxes they made (all painted and decorated just for him), handmade cards and candy to refill his goodie jar.
Right now we are all in a zombie state after a late night, with a feverish baby... about 101 - thinking it's teething (she's been chewing on her fingers all week) since she has no other symptoms but we'll watch her... if all is ok this afternoon, we'll head to dinner later to celebrate the rest of Father's Day... and hopefully head to bed early tonight to kick off Girl Scout day camp week for Emily.
If you want to see the rest of our pictures, here they are on Walmart:
http://photos2.walmart.com/walmart/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=5752014004/a=3401034_3401034/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=walmart/
Happy Father's Day!